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Thanks for reading the Multilingual Books newsletter, your source for foreign language news, information, and product information and specials from Multilingual Books. This is also available as a web page at our website, www.multilingualbooks.com. In this issue:
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Babies Are Born With Language
Public release from eurekalert.org
Kids understand the smartest things even before they can say the words, according to a Cornell University psycholinguist. Her studies of American and Chinese children provide new compelling evidence that human babies are born to grasp the complex rules of word order and sentence structure in any language.
"Our studies show that both American and Taiwanese children as young as 3 years of age already possess a remarkable knowledge of language structure and syntax which is so complex and precise that it must challenge any known learning theory to account for its acquisition," says Barbara Lust, a developmental cognitive psycholinguist at Cornell for more than 15 years. Lust is co-director of Cornell's interdisciplinary Cognitive Studies Program and a professor of human development as well as of modern languages and linguistics.
"This ability of young children requires complex analysis and complex interpretations that were never taught; and it is difficult to imagine how they could be derived by unguided induction alone," Lust says. "This evidence supports the idea that humans are biologically programmed for a language faculty which guides language acquisition."
Lust and her collaborators conducted the English portion of the research by 86 American children between the ages of 3 and 7 to act out sentences such as "Big Bird scratches his arm and Ernie does, too." Such sentences includes information that is not given, such as, what does Ernie do? Does he scratch Big Bird's arm or his own arm? Each sentence appears simple, but actually has four correct grammatical interpretations and five incorrect interpretations.
Lust says that consistently, children as young as 3 understand the ambiguity and different interpretations and have the knowledge to understand what is "not present" in the sentence . In addition, she says, they do not make the interpretations that aren't grammatically possible.
Working with Chinese researchers, Lust also conducted matched studies with children whose parents spoke Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan. She found that these children also understood the complex grammar of their language in ways similar to the American children learning English.
Linguists are divided about supporting Noam Chomsky's theory of universal grammar -- the idea that children are born with an innate ability to develop language. But Lust's research provides new and compelling evidence that kids don't just copy-cat to learn their language but are born with the ability to "crack the codes" of their language through structural analysis. Specifically, they early can figure out their language's system of word meaning, sentence structure and sounds.
Lust believes this language faculty in young children is universal. "In previous work, we have compared the acquisition of more than 16 different languages, and in each language we have seen the power of the individual child's mind in creating the formal and highly complex grammatical system that linguists spend their careers puzzling over," Lust says. "Where professional linguists take years trying to figure out the rules and principles and parameters of language, children, infuriatingly, seem able to create the right theory for whatever language is around them -- English, French, Japanese or Tulu -- within just three years."
See the full article at: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/1998-02/CUNS-BABW-160298.php
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Spotlight on Chinese
This week we'd like to take you on a tour of our Chinese section. We offer over twenty Chinese courses for both Mandarin and Cantonese, reference materials including grammar, idiom, and character books and of course dictionaries, Chinese software including word processing programs and tools, pocket translators, and much more! Find out more about our Chinese offerings at our
Chinese page.
FSI Standard Chinese The focus of this course is on understanding in practical situations, and teaches Mandarin Chinese, the official dialect of the People’s Republic of China. The material is organized into modules that deal with concrete situations or language topics; you select the modules that you want to study in the order that you prefer. Each Core module consists of tapes, a student textbook, and a workbook, and has from four to eight units. Multilingual Books now manufactures the entire line of Foreign Service Institute (FSI) courses, available in over 30 languages. These courses are considered by many to be the best and most complete language courses available. Some courses are now available digitally remastered on CD. Our CD courses have greatly improved sound quality as compared to the commonly available cassette courses and are exclusive to Multilingual Books. Find out more about our FSI courses at our FSI page. Find out more about our Chinese offerings at our Chinese page. |
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Franklin B-1100 Chinese-English Dictionary/Translator
The B1100 is designed to help Chinese speakers to improve their English or for English speakers to master the Chinese language. It contains more than 264,000 words, and uses the advanced ClariSpeech System for English word pronunciation and Chinese words and definitions are spoken by a human voice. Among its many features are: pronunciation of phrases, words and syllables; Advanced Voice function for Chinese (Mandarin) and English; use either Chinese (no pinying) or English characters on display; includes 264,000 definitions as well as phonetic spell correction; calculator with currency converter; personal organizer including alarm, appointment reminder, calendar; databank for storing names and phone numbers; 6 fun word games will help build confidence; Two BOOKMAN card slots are provided for extra data expandability. |
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Multilingual Books offers a wide range of Chinese products; check out our Chinese page for more ideas. Feel free to email any questions to us at or call us with your questions at 206-328-7922.
Top Products for October
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Last month's trivia questions and answers:
If you fly to Madagascar and you land in a busy city, you pick up a newspaper to see what's happening - what language would this be in?
Your enjoying a refreshing beverage on the white sands of Barbados and you overhear some locals chatting - what language will they most likely be speaking?
You are hiking through Andorra and happen upon an elderly couple selling some fruit. What language would you need to purchase a poma?
You are taking in the beautiful sights of Nepal just outside the India border and some children are running by, you barely catch them speaking what language?
Your company promotes you to its new office in Guinea - what European language might you want to study? Also, what is another handy language to know there? The winner of last month's contest is Sirkala. Congratulations and thanks to all the entrants! This month's trivia quiz: Which form(s) of Chinese are spoken in Hong Kong? Taiwan? Mainland China? Bonus question: Which 15 countries border China? The answers and the winner will be in our next newsletter. Winner will receive their choice of one Talk Now or World Talk language CD-ROM! No purchase necessary to enter. E-mail your entry to:
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Foreign Language Radio Online
This month we are featuring the Multilingual Books Foreign Language Radio Online pages, featuring links to online radio from countries all over the world! Hundreds of stations are available, each offering some or all of their content free online. Great for listening practice for language learners, or for those wanting news from home or in their native language.
Check it out at http://www.multilingualbooks.com/online-radio.html.
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Save $50 or $100 on FSI Chinese! Save $100 when you order all 3 levels of FSI Chinese! Offer good for one week only, so act now! Use promo code MB-FC-927 to receive this special. For ordering and more information, please visit our FSI page. |
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Save on Platiquemos Spanish Course Level One on CD!
Platiquemos Spanish Course Order Platiquemos Level One on CD for just $49 PLUS get FREE SHIPPING for one week only! Use promo code MB-P49-926 to receive this special. Order today! |
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Save $25 on Talk Now and World Talk Bundles! Talk Now and World Talk CD-ROM Courses
For a limited time, get a Talk Now and World Talk bundle in any of over 20 languages for just $69! $94 purchased separately, you save $25! Order today to save with our one week only newsletter special! Use promo code MB-TW-927 to receive this special.
Save 15% on EuroTalk Network Editions! |
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